Pros:
Camp Benson is a private camp with many activities ,one being disc golf . The course features 9 holes . Make sure you call or email ahead or you will be turned away . The office personnel; are nice and are as accommodating as they can be , but if the campers are on the grounds , you can't play . No bathrooms here unless you are staying on the grounds . A small parking lot is across the street from the #9 basket .
-- THE EQUIPMENT -- There is no tee pad here . Not even a dirt strip . I guess left handers throw to the left of the post and right handers throw from the right ? There were 8 posts for the 9 holes . #4 was missing when I was here . The posts are yellow tall and yellow tipped with hole numbers on them . The baskets are the best equipment feature . They are yellow banded Discatchers .
-- THE LANDSCAPE -- The grounds here could be a picture on a postcard . Clear lakes , nice woods , well mowed grounds . Lots of branch trimming , as evidenced in front of hole #5 ( more on that later ) . The first 5 holes are open and on rolling terrain 7 drops downhill on one of the holes with actual trees obstructing a clear shot . A road comes into play once or twice .
-- HIGHLIGHTS -- None here to speak of . A bizarre hole exists at #5 . The camp stacked branches and sticks 10-12' high right in front of the tee box . It would be hard to throw over and know where it is going or how far . You can throw right or left of the pile and take your par , though . #7 is the best hole . It is a descending short drive with the road on your immediate right and some punishing rough on your left . The tree lined fairway brings a canopy with it , forcing you to make a low drive to the basket , which has some tree protection close by .
-- THE TIME -- It took me about 30 minutes to play the course after finding where #1 is . Behind the office . You throw down toward the lake . A foursome will tear through this in about 50 minutes .
-- DISC RISK -- There is some high brush on the left of 6 or 7 . Depending on where you tee of from for #4 , there is woods on your left ., and I guess your disc could sit up on its edge and roll into the lake on #1 . If you don't try to throw over the brush pile on #5 and get your disc stuck , I would say you risk is LOW.
Course flow is pretty easy once you find hole #1 . Even if you have the go ahead to play , make sure you check in at the office . They are good people .
Cons:
#1 Tee Pads -- The ground isn't level , which means that standing on an uneven surface can make your disc fly anywhere but its intended flight path . This is going to be more evident with the people that this course serves .
#2 -- Tee #4 . Having minimal equipment , you have to have all of your posts . The missing #4 causes a lot of confusion .
#3 Challenge -- This is an intro and an extra activity for the camp kids . Locals and up won't get much out of the design .
#4 Safety -- Not a big seal , but worth mentioning . 6 ,7 & 8 are out near the road . There are people on the premises that ride around in quiet golf carts . An inexperienced disc golfer could possibly throw into a driver .
#5 Time Restrictions - The camp only allows outsiders when not in session . Call and find out when that is . You will have trouble during their season during the week and on Sundays
#6 The brush pile on 5 . I'm not sure who's brain child this is , but it makes the course look kind of trashy . If you want to make obstruction , grow trees or bushes . On the other hand , if you were to light the pile on fire while playing ,,,,, WOW !
Other Thoughts:
Even though it is a short drive from I-840 and I-40 , Camp Benson is a place you might never know about . Installing a course , putting it on sites like DGR , and allowing the public to come meet the staff and see this beautiful area . If it gains just 1 camper a month , the baskets will pay for itself in a couple of seasons . Again , make sure you call ahead to see if you can play , or you will be turned away .The course really graded out closer to a 1 than a 1.5 , but they are allowing the public to enjoy a nice piece of property , when they don't have to .
MY RECOMMENDATION -- A fun activity for the weekly camper to do . This is a good intro course . Intros and newbies will barely or not notice at all , the bare necessities of this course . Locals and families might look elsewhere , unless they build up a friendship with the staff and play here out of season . Intermediates and up will need to look to Dickson if wanting variety and challenge . Travelers might want something else that they can stop and stretch on a short notice . Baggers beware . You can string several courses together close to here , but you better plan before coming during summer camp season .YOU WANT TO PASS THIS BY .